Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the eggplant, zucchini and bell pepper and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the broth and half of the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Brush the bread with olive oil; sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence and salt to taste. Broil until lightly toasted. Top with the cheese, then broil until melted.

Puree about half of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the cheese toasts and the remaining basil.

About Jessica Dimas

Jessica is author of the books "Sacred Self-Care for the Highly Sensitive Mom" and "Anything Can Be: A Reference Guide for Applying the Law of Attraction." She is a Huffington Post contributor and has been featured on sites such as Scary Mommy, FamilyShare, and BlogHer. She has a BA degree in psychology and lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.